Improvement in apparatus for steaming and cleaning barrels



A. K. LEE.

Apparatus for Steaming and Cleansing Barrels, &.D.

' Patented May13,1873.

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AM PHOTO-LITHOGRAPH/C 00. M Y (0550,? '15.? 9005359 UNITED STATES;

PATENT QFFICE.

AROHIBALD K. LEE, OF GALVESTON, TEXAS;

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR STEAMING AND CLEANING. BARREL$'.&c.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 138,810, dated May 13,1873; application filed May 5, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARGHIBALD K. LEE, of the city and county ofGalveston and State of Texas, have invented an Improved Method ofSteaming Barrels for the reception of resin, turpentine, oils, molasses,sirups, and other like liquids, of which the following is a full, clear,

and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing.and the letters of reference'marked thereon makingpart of thisspecification, in which-- Figure 1 is a lon gitudinal section view. Fig.2 is a top-plan view, the barrel-support being removed. Fig. 3 is avertical sectional view. 7 The object of my invention is to. provide-animproved means of steaming barrels designed for the reception of resin,turpentine, oils, molasses, sirups, and other like liquids and by whichprocess of steaming I not only wash the barrel, but at the same timefree it from impurities which might injuriously color or otherwiseinjure the liquids; and by the same pro: cess so tighten the joints asto render the barrels better suited for the purposes intended. Thenature of my invention consists in constructing the vessel with a jacketor outer cas in g so arranged as to leave a steam-chamber, and which isprovided withinlet and discharge tubes arranged, respectively, at theupper and lower sections thereof, and which chamber fur-v nishes a meansof heating the vessel tosuch a degree asto soften the gummy materialwhich adheres to the barrel, and which permits of the same being-morereadily removed by the jets of steam emittedthrough the perforations ofthe rose,and which act directly on the interior surface of the barrel.My invention also consists in arranging along the lower section of thevessel, and running parallel with thesteam-supply pipe, additionalsteam-pipes, and which not only serve to assist in heating tothe desireddegree the inte rior' chamber of the vessel, but also provides, as itwere, an open framesupport for the barrels to rest on during the processof steaming, and thereby facilitatingthe flow of all. impu rities fromthe barrelafter the same havebeen washed off by the steam-jets. Thenature of my invention also consists in. the use of an open frame or,barrel-support so formed as to permit of its. freely passing over thesteam tubes and roses and on which frame the barrels to be steamed areplaced, and which affords a convenient means of introducing the barrelsfor the action of the steam, and of their removal after the same havebeen steamed and cleaned. I use in connection with the vessel two ormore of these frames, so as to permit of the vessels continuedoperation. 7

The construction and. operation of my invention are as follows:

A is the steaming-vessel, whichis construct ed out of any suitablematerial and of any desired form. As represented in thedrawing, it isrectangular, with a concave bottom-,u. This style of bottom, owing toits arch formation, secures additional strength, while the gummy liquidproduced" by the steaming of the. barrels is more readily drawn off.This vessel A may be of such dimensions as to provide van interiorchamber of any desired capacity. I contemplate making the vessel vofsuch dimensions as will provide a chamber of an area'sufficient toreadily accommodate and steam si,

multaneously twenty or more barrels; but, of

course, there is nothing. arbitrary about the size of the vessel or ofits inner chamber, as my improvements are alike applicable to the vesselno matter what its size or dimensions may,be.- The, wall A! of thisvessel. is sur rounded by an outer casing or jacket, B, so arranged astoleave a closed steam-chamber, B, and which surrounds thesides, ends, andbottom a of the vessel. This steam-chamber B is provided with. inlet.and discharge tubes G 0, one at the upper section and the other at itsbase, and respectively arranged as shown in Fig. 1. Along the lowersection of the interior chamber ofthe vessel A runsand is secured asteam-supply pipe, D, and in open- .ings in which are secured thevertical. tubes D D, each 'of which is provided with a rose, (1. Theseroses dd are perforated throughout their entire surface, andconsequently emit lateral jets of steam, as well as jets in all otherdirections; and which is important, as each section of thebarrel isthus. subjected to :the most direct .and effective action of the steam.In. the drawing only three of these tubes D and roses dareshown; but, ofcourse, their number will depend on the capacity of the chamber. Whenthis, for instance, is suchas to accommodate twenty barrels there willbe twenty tubes and roses, and this number is increased or diminished inaccordance with thecapacity of the chamber. E E are steamheating tubes,and are arranged parallel to and are in the same plane with the pipe D,as clearly shown in Fig. 2. These pipesE E, besides assisting thechamber Bin properly heating the vessel so as to soften the gum on t theinterior of the barrels, and which permits of its being more readilyremoved by the action of the jets of steam, are also important foranother purpose, as they serve as supports for the barrel to restonduring the process of steaming, and thereby permit the free flow anddischarge of all impurities from the barrel after the same are washedofi' by the jets of steam, and which fall to the concave bottom a of thevessel and are drawn off by the cooks e c, Fig; 1. The pipe D and pipesE E are supplied with steam from any suitable boiler, as is also thechamber B. These pipes D and E E are supplied through a common nozzle,F, and branch pipesf f, which lead to the pipes E E. The nozzle F andits tube communicate directly with the pipe D, and is provided with acook or valve, f, which permitsof the steam being shut oil at pleasure,and thus preventing its discharge through the perforations of the roseswhile the frames H are being lifted out and in, and which not onlyprevents the waste of steam but also avoids all danger of the operativesbeing scalded while handling the frames. charge tube, F, and by means ofwhich the condensed sediment, &c., are all readily drawn off as occasionmay require. In inserting and removing the barrels I use a frame, H,which consists of forked side arms G G, to the base of which are securedflanged bearing-plates g.

g, and which serve as supports for two or more horizontal rods orplates, G G. These are on the same plane and parallel to each other, andare so arranged as to leave an unobstructed space at the center,sufficiently large to permit of the tubes D and roses (1 readily passingtherethrough, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. In eyes at the upper sectionof the forked side arms G G are secured the bail-arms H H, and which areunited at their upper section by the eye of the hook h, and whicharrangement is clearly shown in Fig. 1. This hook it affords aconvenient means of handling the frame, either by lever, pulley andcord, or other equivalent means.

I propose to use in connection with each vessel two or more of theseframes, so that while one is supporting the barrels in the vessel andwhich are being steamed, another setof bar rels is being arranged onframe'No. 2 to be placedover the roses so soon as frame No. 1 isremoved, and which permitsof the work be in g carried on withoutinterruption. These frames are constructedof any suitable mate- Thesepipes all lead to a common disrial, and their dimensions depend entirelyon the size of the vessel in connection with which they are desired tobe used. When the vessel is of capacity and is so arranged as to steamtwenty barrels simultaneously the base-rods G G of the frame must be oflength suflicient to support and hold twenty barrels in a row; and so inregard to a greater or less number, the size of the frame dependingentirely on the dimensions of the vessel.

From the foregoing full and detailed description the operation ofmyimprovement will readily be understood. The cook or valve f is to so sitas to prevent steam passing to the pipe D, and steam is then, from aboiler or other vessel conveniently arranged, supplied to the nozzles (Jand F, theflrst filling the chamber B and surrounding the wall A of thevessel, and the nozzle F, through the branch pipes f f, filling thepipes E E. The steam from this chamber B and the pipes E E soonthoroughlyheat the interior chamber of the vessel. The barrels havingbeen previously placed on the frame No. 1, and so arranged as to leavetheir bungs or open sections, through which they are filled, turned downand in position readily to be passed over the tubes D and roses (1, theframe is lifted into the vessel and lowered down into its interiorchamber, the bars or rods G G resting on and being supported by thepipes D and E E, and the tubes and roses entering the barrels, asclearly shown in Fig. 1. The heat, of the vessel now soon softens thegummy substances and all other impurities that may have adhered to thesurface of the barrels. The cook or valve f is now opened, wheninstantly the steamrushes into the pipe D, up through the tubes D D, andout through the perforations of the roses d d, and being dashed in r alldirections, soon thoroughly cleanses the barrel, while at the same timethe joints between the staves are by the moisture so caused to swell asto become tight the barrels being held by the pipes free from the bottom of the vessel, the steam, &c., readily runs out of the barrels, andis drawn oil by the cooks e 0. So soon as the barrels are thoroughlycleansed the valve or cook f is closed, and frame N o. l with itsbarrels is removed. Frame N o. 2, having previously had barrels arrangedtherein, is now inserted and lowered over the tubes D D and roses d d,when the operation just described is repeated. The steam is drawn ofi'from'the'chamber B and pipes E E by means of the cooks G and F, asoccasion may render desirable.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is-

1. The vessel A having a steam-chamber, B, pipe D, tubes D D, and roses(1 d, the whole being combined and arranged to operate substantially asdescribed.

' 2. A vessel having steam-pipes D and E E arranged to heat the same,and at the same time serve as a supporting-frame for. the barrels, incombination with the tubes D Dand 13s,s1o 3 roses d d, the whole beingconstructed and arranged to operate substantially as described.

3. The vessel A having a steam-chamber, B, formed as shown, pipes D andE E, tubes D D, and roses d d, the whole being combined and arranged tooperate substantially as described.

4. In combination with a barrel-steamer, the frame H, constructed andarrranged so as to operate in connection therewith, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

AROHIBALD K. LEE. Witnesses EDWIN J was, J 0s. T. K. PLANT.

